Florida-- the Kingsley Homestead--Ft. George Id. / George Barker, photographer, Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Kingsley Plantation is a historic site located on Fort George Island in Jacksonville, Florida. It was originally established in 1814 by Zephaniah Kingsley, a wealthy plantation owner who owned several plantations in the southeastern United States. The plantation was primarily used to grow and harvest Sea Island cotton, a highly prized crop due to its long, silky fibres. The plantation was worked by enslaved Africans, many of whom were brought to the plantation from West Africa. Despite owning slaves, Kingsley was known for his relatively progressive views on race and slavery. He believed that enslaved Africans should be treated with dignity and respect and even married one of his slaves, a woman named Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley. Today, Kingsley Plantation is open to the public as part of the National Park Service. Visitors can tour the plantation's main house, which has been restored to its original 19th-century appearance, as well as several other historic buildings on the property. The site also features exhibits and educational programs that explore the history of slavery in the United States.